When you're investing in Festool, you want to make sure you're choosing the tool that you'll get the most out of.

The key here is to be clear on the types of job you currently need it for, the jobs you might need it for in the future, and the new jobs the tool could allow you to take on.

Festool tools will last many years so you've got to think long term. 

 

We were recently contacted by a tradie who was in the market for a new sander. The question was whether a Rotex or standard Random Orbital sander would be best for him. There are plenty of different sanders available for all types of work, so it's a great question. 

 

Our answer was that it ultimately comes down to the type of work you’ll be doing and for how long. Like many tools, you can get an equally good result with different options (if you know what you're doing), but the ideal tool will get that result the fastest with the fewest headaches along the way. And when time is money for you, that counts for a lot. 

 

So let's look at when you'd choose either a Rotex or standard Random Orbital sander.

 

If you're doing lots of heavier duty jobs, sanding large surfaces like decks and floors, go a Rotex. They have greater power and they're geared to do it all (coarse to light sanding), but they do require some holding onto. The RO 150 is the largest Rotex sander and is the most popular across many Trades, but the small RO 90 or medium RO 125 are available too. 

However, if you're doing smaller amounts of intermittent sanding on general projects like furniture, go a standard Random Orbital. They're lighter, smoother and more manoeuvrable. We tend to suggest either the ETS 150/5 (brushed motor and a tad heavier) or ETS EC 150/5 (brushless motor and more ergonomic), again, based on your applications and preference.

 

The simple distinction to make is that a Rotex is a two-handed machine, while standard Random Orbitals are one-handed. All Festool tools are generally 'easy' to use, but think carefully about the impact on your body if you need to use a Rotex for hours at a time on various angled surfaces.